Multi-section drum picking machine



y 12, 1964 A. L. MASTE-RS ETAL 3,132,372

MULTI-SECTION DRUM PICKING MACHINE 7 Filed May 22, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 #vvavmks: d

Byga M ATTORNEYS.

y 4' A. L. MASTERS ETAL 3,132,372

MULTI-SECTION DRUM PICKING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 and 41%;: dM Q ATTORNEYS.

y 12, 1964 A. MASTERS ETAL 3,132,372

MUL'II-SECTION DRUM PICKING MACHINE Filed May 22. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS: $1M

ATTORNEYS.

y 1954 A. 1.. MASTERS ETAL 3,132,372-

MULTI-SECTIQN DRUM PICKING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 a M QZWWJW.

AT T ORlE V5.

United States Patent Oil ice 3,132,372 Patented May 12, 1964 3,132,372 MULTI-SECTIQN DRUM PICKING MACHINE Alien L. Masters, Agency, and Allen W. Sharp, Qttumwa, Iowa, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Equity Financial Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 22, 1961, Ser. No. 111,707 7 Claims. (Cl. 17-111) This invention pertains to a picking machine for removing feathers from fowls. More particularly, the invention is directed to machines of the general type wherein fowls, suspended by their legs from an overhead conveyor, are caused to be moved between a pair of horizontally spacedapart, rotatable drum assemblies, each of which is provided with a multiplicity of radially extending, flexible feather picking fingers. Such machines are preferably constructed and arranged so that the axes of the drum assemblies are positioned in inclined relation to horizontal so as to insure the application of picking forces by the flexible fingers over the entire bodies of the fowls during their travel between the pair of drum assemblies.

Machines of this general type preferably are constructed so as to provide vertical adjustment of the drum assemblies, either at one or both ends, as well as toward or away from each other, to insure performing an efficient feather picking action upon fowls of various types and sizes. Such machines generally effect a substantially com- .plete removal of all feathers from the bodies of the fowls during a single passage of the fowls through the machine.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved picking machine of the character indicated having a pair of spaced apart rotatable drum assemblies with at least one drum assembly comprising a plurality of separate drum units or sections rotatable in the same direc tion, and with one drum unit being rotated at a speed different than the speed of another drum unit.

Another object is to provide an improved picking machine of the character indicated wherein one drum assembly comprises a plurality of rotatable, co-axially mounted drum units, together with drive means, including separate drive connections for each drum unit by virtue of which the respective drum units are caused to be rotated at different rates of speed.

A further object is to provide an improved picking machine of the character indicated wherein the drum assemblies are each provided with a plurality of separate drum units, with separate driving means for each drum assembly, including drive connections to each drum unit, for rotating one drum unit at a speed greater than another drum unit, and the drum units of one drum assembly being positioned in transverse, aligned relation to the drum units of the other drum assembly.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved picking machine of the character indicated wherein varying degrees of picking force are caused to be applied to different parts of the bodies of the fowls as they travel through the machine.

Still another object is to provide an improved picking machine having a plurality of different zones wherein fowls, moving therethrough on an overhead conveyor, are subjected to varying degrees of picking force to insure efficient removal of substantially all feathers from the bodies of the fowls with practically no injury or damage to the skin or flesh of the fowls.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the picking machine embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, transverse, vertical sectiondicated at line 2-2 on FIGURE 1.

ing machine.

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the machine with the end closure panels removed.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, schematic view of one of the drum assemblies and the drives therefor of the machine embodying the present invention, and taken substantially as indicated at line 4-4 on FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an end view of one of the drum assemblies, and taken as indicated at line 5-5 on FIGURE 4.

The machine of the present invention is designed, constructed and arranged so as to provide two main cooperating units, as may be seen in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, juxtaposed to provide a passage through which the fowls to be picked are caused to be moved. As seen in dot-and-dash outline of FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the

fowls as indicated at A, are suspended by their legs from shackles B which, in turn, are supported from and moved by an overhead conveyor indicated generally at C. By virtue of the overhead conveyor the fowls are conveyed along a predetermined path of travel through the pick- The picking machine includes a pair of horizontally, spaced apart, longitudinally extending picking drum assemblies, indicated generally at D and E, which are positioned on opposite sides of the predetermined path of travel of the fowls and mounted respectively in the two main cooperating units of the machine.

As may be seen in the drawings, the machine includes, at each end, a pair of main, oppositely formed and disposed end frame panels 10 and 11, with each pair positioned in transverse, spaced apart relation. At each end of the machine, each end panel is rigidly attached to a downwardly facing channel member 12, which is mounted for sliding movement on a transversely extending tubular main frame member 14. The channels are confined and guided for longitudinal sliding movement with respect to the frame members 14 by a plurality of straps 15. Each aligned set of end panels 10-10 and 11-11 support respectively a complete drum assembly and all driving mechanisms associated therewith.

The outer ends of the respective tubular frame members 14 are rigidly attached to upright, cylindrical housing members 18, constituting a part of hydraulic jacks indicated generally at 19, located at each corner of the machine. The supporting structures for said end frame panels is the same at both ends of the machine. It is to be understood that the jacks include pistons or cylinders positioned within the housings 18, and the lower ends of the pistons or cylinders are pivotally attached to feet 20, positioned on the floor. The jacks are actuated hydraulically by a control unit, as indicated at 20, for effecting a raising or lowering of the supporting frames and associated structure. The housings 18 of the jacks,

at each side of the machine, are interconnected by tubular frame members 21. The-jacks may be selectively operated so that either or both ends of the machine may be raised or lowered as may be desired, and which arrangement does not constitute a part of the present inventive concept. Preferably, the machine is so adjusted that the pair of cooperating drum assemblies are disposed with their axes inclined to horizontal in a manner corresponding to the arrangement of picking drums in previous types of picking machines known as slant type pickers, and by virtue of which fowls, as they pass through the machine, have various portions of the bodies thereof progressively worked upon by the picking fingers of the drum assemblies, and by virtue of which substantially all feathers are removed from the bodies of the fowls during a single passage through the machine.

The respective sets of end frames 10-10 and 11-11, each carrying a drum assembly and drive mechanism, are movable toward and away from each other. To accomplish such movement, each of the end frame panels is provided adjacent the bottom thereof with a tubular projection 26 in which is mounted a cylindrical member (not shown) internally threaded and mounted on one of the oppositely threaded portions 28 or 29 of a transversely extending shaft 30, journaled at opposite ends in brackets 31, attached to the housings 18 of the jacks. The outer ends of the shafts 36 are provided with manually operable handwheels 32. A similar set and arrangement of adjusting mechanisms is provided at the other end of the machine. The threaded portions 28 and 29, of the shaft 30, are threaded in opposite directions so that by rotating the shaft 30 in either direction the pair of end panels -11 at one end, carrying the drum assemblies, are caused to be moved toward or away from each other. This arrangement makes it possible to obtain a desired spacing of the drum assemblies with respect to each other in order to insure the performance of an efficient picking operation upon various kinds and sizes of fowls to be processed.

Preferably, although not necessarily, the drum assemblies D and E and their associated driving mechanisms are identical and are arranged in opposite relation, although it is to be understood that, if desired, one of the drum assemblies may be of a conventional type and may be rotated at a speed different than the other drum assembly. The drum assembly D and associated drive mechanism is indicated schematically and partially in section, as seen in FIGURE 4; and it may be understood that the drum assembly E and the associated drive mechanism therefor corresponds exactly, but in opposite relation to the construction of drum assembly D as disclosed in FIGURE 4. We will now describe in detail the construction and drive arrangement of the drum assembly D; and the corresponding parts of the drum assembly E and drive mechanism therefor are accorded corresponding reference numerals.

The drum assembly D includes a longitudinally extending drum shaft 34, supported at opposite ends in bearings 36, secured to the outside surfaces of the respective main end frame panels 10--10. Mounted on the drum shaft are a plurality of separate drum units or sections, 37, 38 and 39. The drum units 37, 38 and 39 include, respectively, a pair of end discs 37a-37b, 38a38b, and 39a39b, and the respective pairs of end discs are welded in the end portions of the three drum unit tubes 37c, 38c and 390. Secured, as by welding, to the periphery of each of the drum tubes, in circumferentially spaced apart relation, are a multiplicity of structural angle members 40, positioned with one leg of each angle member in approximate radial alignment and with the other leg facing generally laterally outwardly, as seen in FIGURE 5 of the drawings. Each pair of adjacent angle members 40 are interconnected by a plurality of longitudinally, spaced apart structural brace members 41, which are welded at one edge to the outside corner of one angle member 40, and the opposite edge being welded to the inner end of the vertical leg of an adjacent mem ber 40 and to the tube of the drum unit. Each of the outer legs of the angle members are provided with a plurality of suitably shaped apertures to provide a mounting for the head portions of elongated, flexible picking fingers 42, which extend substantially radially with respect to the axis of the drum units. The picking fingers are preferably formed of suitable material, such as rubber or the like, and are provided with the usual picking ribs along at least one face thereof for contacting and removing the feathers of the fowls in a manner well understood in the art. The fingers of each of the drum units may, if desired, be of identical size and weight. However, if desired, fingers of different weights may be employed so as to provide different picking forces on the different parts of the bodies of the fowls being processed. For example, the fingers on the drum unit 37 may be relatively heavy as compared to the fingers on the other drum units, and said drum unit preferably will be so positioned vertically with respect to the fowls being processed as to cause the fingers on said drum unit to contact the feathers on the head, neck, wings and upper portions of the bodies of the fowls. The fingers of drum unit 38, if desired, may be of slightly less weight and will serve to engage the feathers on the bodies of the fowls being processed and the fingers of drum unit 39 may be of even less weight than the fingers of drum unit 38, and will be positioned for picking the feathers from the legs and between the legs of the fowls being processed. It is also known that the feathers on the legs and between the legs of the fowls are more easily removed. These portions of the fowls usually are more tender than other parts and, hence, it is desirable to apply less picking force for removal of the feathers from and between the legs of the fowls as compared to the main body proper of the fowls which will be worked upon by the fingers of the drum unit 38. It is well known that the feathers on the neck, head and upper portions of the bodies of the fowls are usually the most difficult to remove and require the application of the greatest picking forces.

Formed as an integral part of the end disc 37b of the drum unit 37, is a sleeve 37e, which surrounds the shaft 34 and is journaled in one of the bearings 36. The end disc 39a of the drum unit 39 also has formed as an integral part thereof a sleeve 39e, which surrounds the shaft 34 and is journaled in the opposite bearing 36. The intermediate drum unit 38 is mounted directly on and driven by the shaft 34, and the end discs 38a and 38b thereof are connected to said shaft by keys, as indicated at 44.

Mounted on the outer surface of one end panel 10, is an electric motor and speed reduction unit, together with a variable pulley drive indicated generally at 46, which, through a belt 47, drives a corresponding variable pulley assembly 48, mounted on a countershaft 49. Fixedly mounted by a keyway connection, as indicated at 491: on the countershaft 49, are two separate drive pulleys 50 and 51 which, through the medium of belts 52 and 53, drive pulleys 54 and 55 of the drum assembly. The pulley 54 is fixedly secured, as by means of a key indicated at 37d, to the outer end of the sleeve 37c, and by virtue of which the drum unit 37 is caused to be rotated. The pulley 55 is fixedly secured directly to the drum shaft 34, by a key 34a, and by virtue of which said shaft is caused to rotate and, in turn, rotates the intermediate drum unit 38. The outer ends of the countershaft 49 and the drum shaft 34, are supported in bearings 56, secured to the outer face of an outboard end panel 57 which, it may be understood, is interconnected to the main adjacent end panel 10 by structural members not shown. The variable pulley drives, 46 and 48, permit varying the speed of rotation of the drum units of a drum assembly.

At the end opposite the drive assembly above described, the protruding end portion of the main drum shaft 34 of the drum assembly has rigidly secured thereon, as by means of a key 34b, a pulley 58 which, through the medium of a belt 59, drives a pulley 60, mounted on a stub countershaft 61, and secured thereto by a key 61a. Also secured on the countershaft 61, by a key 6112, is a pulley 62 which, through the medium of a belt 63, drives a pulley 64 which is rigidly attached by means of a key 39d to the sleeve 39c of the drum unit 39, and by virtue of which the drive from the main shaft 34, through the drive connections immediately referred to, serves to drive the drum unit 39. The outer end of the countershaft 61, and the corresponding end of the drum shaft 34, are journaled in bearings 56, secured to the outer surface of an outboard end panel 37 which, in turn, is rigidly attached to the adjacent main end panel 10 by' structural members not shown. The inner ends of the countershafts 49 and 61 are journaled in bearings 65, secured to the outer faces of the main end panels 10.

By virtue of the drive arrangement described, it will be noted that all three drum units 37, 38 and 39 are rotated in the same direction, but at different rates of speed. The drum unit 37 is rotated at the highest rate of speed, while the intermediate drum unit 38 is rotated at a lesser rate of speed, and the drum unit 39 is rotated at still a lower rate of speed. It has been found that very satisfactory results are obtained when the drum units of a drum assembly are rotated at diiferent speeds, such as the drum unit 37 at a speed in the general range of 450 r.p.m., the intermediate drum unit 33 rotated at 400 r.p.m., land the drum unit 39 rotated at 350 r.p.m. It is apparent, however, that relatively good results will be obtained by driving the drum units at other rates of speed, as long as the rates of speed are correlated to the character, size and Weight of the picking fingers employed on the drum units so as to insure obtaining the desired picking forces for operating upon the feathers of the various portions of the bodies of the fowls.

Highly advantageous results may also be obtained when the fingers utilized on the different drum units are of different weights, or cross-sectional dimensions. For example, the fingers of the drum unit 37 desirably are heaviest so as to impart the greatest picking force for removing the more diflicult feathers, such as those located on the neck, head and upper portions of the bodies of the fowlsand wherein the fingers of the intermediate drum unit 38 are less heavy or are smaller in crosssection-al dimensions for exerting somewhat reduced picking forces for removing the feathers on the main body portion of the fowls, while the fingers of the drum unit 39 are still less heavy than the fingers of either of the two drum units, or are of still less cross-sectional dimensions, for exerting lighter picking forces upon the more easy to remove feathers on the bodies of the fowls, namely, on and between the legs of the fowls.

The drum assemblies and their drive mechanisms are totally enclosed by a pair of sheet metal end closure panels 71, side walls '72, and top panels 74, secured to the main end frame panels lil and Ill-11. The housing or enclosure also includes movable, angularly formed, sheet metal panel members 76, hingedly connected to the top panel '74 at 77 which, in closed position, completes the closure for the remaining top and side portions of the respective units of the machine. The movable panels 76 may be swung to an open position, as indicated by dot-and-dash outlines in FIGURE 2, so as to afford convenient access to the drum assemblies and the separate drive mechanisms for the drum units for the purpose of repair, maintenance, etc. Access, of course, is also afforded to the drum assemblies from the interior of the machine by separating the drum assemblies from each other through the mechanism above described by rotating the handwheels 32. Supported within the housing formed by the enclosures described, are a pair of longitudinally extending water pipes 79, provided with a multiplicity of longitudinally spaced apart nozzles '80, for spraying water in the general direction of the respective drum assemblies and the fowls as they pass through the machine to facilitate removal of the feathers from the fowls.

To aid in confining and directing the feathers removed from the fowls, each of the separate housing structures is provided, adjacent the top, with a curved deflector panel 85, which is connected to the top panel 74- and to the main end panels lit -ll) and ill-11. There is also provided a pair of panels 87 positioned adjacent and below the respective drum assemblies and extending in an inclined direction toward the longitudinal center of the machine, with the main portion extending upwardly and outwardly in close relation to the picking drum assemblies, and with the lower portion terminating in a depending flange 88. The pair of depending flanges 83 define a passageway through which the feathers removed from the fowls may be discharged downwardly into a suitable drain trough or sump. By reason of the incli 6 nation of the panel portions 87, the sprays of water in the machine tend to wash the feathers from the foWls downwardly, for discharging through the passageway for maintaining the machine relatively free of substantial quantities of feathers.

It will be apparent that the picking machine herein disclosed is capable of providing a relatively wide range of variations of picking forces for accommodating and performing an efiicient picking operation upon various kinds and sizes of fowls. As above described, the machine is so constructed and arranged as to permit the respective drum assemblies to be moved toward and away from each other, as well as being moved vertically at either or both ends. Preferably, the machine is adjusted with the drum assemblies arranged at an angle to horizontal so that the machine will function in a manner to insure the performance of an efiicient picking operation upon all portions of the bodies of the fowls during a single passage through the machine.

By virtue of separate drum units, rotatable at different rates of speed, comprising each drum assembly, it is now possible to apply proper feather picking forces to the different portions of the bodies of the fowls as they travel through the machine so as to insure substantially complete removal of all feathers from the fowls during a single passage through the machine.

Although we have herein shown and described certain preferred embodiments of our invention, manifestly it is capable of modification and rearrangement without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. ,We do not, therefore, wish to be understood as limiting this invention to the precise embodiments herein disclosed, except as we may be so limited by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A fowl picking machine comprising a pair of horizontally spaced apart rotatable drum assemblies, each drum assembly comprising a main drum shaft, a plurality of separate drum units mounted in close relation on said shaft and a plurality of outwardly extending flexible fingers mounted on each drum unit; drive means for said drum assemblies; and means operatively connected to said drive means for rotating the drum units of each drum assembly in the same direction with a certain drum unit rotating at a rate of speed different from the rate of speed of a certain other drum unit of the same drum assembly.

2. A fowl picking machine comprising a pair of horizontally spaced apart drum assemblies mounted for rotation in opposite directions, each drum assembly comprising a main drum shaft, a plurality of separate drum units mounted in close relation on said shaft and a plurality of outwardly extending flexible fingers mounted on each drum unit; drive means for said drum assemblies; and means operatively connected to said drive means for rotating a certain drum unit of each drum assembly at a rate of speed different from the rate of speed of a certain other drum unit of the same drum assembly and all the drum units of a drum assembly rotating in the same direction, the corresponding drum units of the drum assemblies being arranged in transaxial alignment.

3. A fowl picking machine comprising a pair of horizontally spaced. apart rotatable drum assemblies, each drtnn assembly comprising a main drum shaft, a plurality of separate drum units mounted in close relation on said shaft and a plurality of outwardly extending flexible fingers mounted on each drum unit; drive means for said drum assemblies; and means operatively connected to said drive means for rotating the drum units of each drum assembly in the same direction with a certain drum unit rotating at a speed different from the rate of speed of a certain other drum unit of the same drum assembly, said operatively connected means for a pair of corresponding drum units of said pair of drum assemblies serving to rotate said pair of corresponding drum units U at a rate of speed greater than the rate of speed of the other dnurn units of said drum assemblies.

4. A fowl picking machine comprising a pair of horizontally spaced apart drum assemblies, one drum assembly comprising a main drum shaft, a plurality of separate drum units mounted in close relation on said shaft and a plurality of outwardly extending flexible fingers mounted on each drum unit; and separate drive means for each drum assembly, the drive means for said one drum assembly including drive connections for rotating all drum units in the same direction at difierent rates of speed.

5. A fowl picking machine comprising a pair of horizontally spaced apart rotatable drum assemblies, each drum assembly comprising a main drum shaft, three separate drum units mounted in close end-to-end relation on said shaft and a plurality of outwardly extending flexible fingers mounted on each drum unit, the fingers on one end drum unit being relatively heavier than the fingers of the intermediate drum unit and the fingers of the intermediate drum unit being relatively heavier than the fingers on the drum unit at the other end of the assembly; drive means for said drum assemblies; and means operatively connected to said drive means for rotating the drum units of each drum assembly at different rates of speed.

6. A fowl picking machine comprising a pair of horizontally spaced apart rotatable drum assemblies, each drum assembly comprising a main drum shaft, three separate drum units mounted in close end-to-end relation on said shaft and a plurality of outwardly extending flexible fingers mounted on each drum unit, the fingers on one end drum unit being relatively heavier than the Q o fingers of the intermediate drum unit and the fingers of the intermediate drum unit being relatively heavier than the fingers on the drum unit at the other end of the assembly; drive means for said drum assemblies; and means operatively connected to said drive means for rotating the drum units of each drum assembly and rotating said one end drum unit of each drum assembly at a rate of speed greater than the intermediate drum unit.

7. A fowl picking machine comprising a pair of horizontally spaced apart rotatable drum assemblies, each drum assembly comprising a main drum shaft, three sparate drum units mounted in close end-to-end relation on said shaft and a plurality of outwardly extending flexible fingers mounted on each drum unit, the fingers on one end drum unit being relatively heavier than the fingers of the intermediate drum unit and the fingers of the intermediate drum unit being relatively heavier than the fingers on the drum unit at the other end of the assembly; drive means for said drum assemblies; and means operatively connected to said drive means for rotating the drum units of each drum assembly at different rates of speed and rotating said intermediate drum unit at a rate of speed greater than the drum unit at the other end of the drum assembly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,694,829 Johnson Nov. 23, 1954 2,859,471 Zebarth Nov. 11, 1958 2,869,601 Krotz Jan. 20, 1959 3,044,108 De Long July 7, 1962 

1. A FOWL PICKING MACHINE COMPRISING A PAIR OF HORIZONTALLY SPACED APART ROTATABLE DRUM ASSEMBLIES, EACH DRUM ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A MAIN DRUM SHAFT, A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE DRUM UNITS MOUNTED IN CLOSE RELATION ON SAID SHAFT AND A PLURALITY OF OUTWARDLY EXTENDING FLEXIBLE FINGERS MOUNTED ON EACH DRUM UNIT; DRIVE MEANS FOR SAID DRUM ASSEMBLIES; AND MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVE MEANS FOR ROTATING THE DRUM UNITS OF EACH 